Small businesses, especially those just starting out, need every advantage they can get in order to get noticed in today’s online marketplace, as there are plenty of websites, plenty of businesses, and plenty of competition in most industries.

One cost-effective way for small businesses to get noticed immediately is to use PR in their marketing plans. Done correctly, PR can bring targeted traffic to your site, much public attention to your company and greater profitability to your business.

How, then, do you employ PR correctly so that it gives your small business these benefits? Here are some steps you should always follow for effective PR campaigns:

1. You have to exactly define who your target market is. This will help to define what section of the media you should focus on to get the word out. You should already know who your target market is in order to effectively advertise; this is also the case with PR.
2. Just as with traditional advertising, the benefits are the key to getting your target market interested in your product or service, not the features. Benefits are how your product or service will benefit the customer, while features are the characteristics or qualities that the product or service has. Always keep in mind, “What’s in it for me?” – this is what the potential customer will be asking about your product or service.
3. You need to evaluate the direct competitors to your product in your industry and know exactly how your product compares to their products. This is because you need to identify exactly how your product outdoes their products to show the media that your product is worth featuring.
4. Testimonials are considered to be one of the greatest sources of credibility in traditional advertising. This also holds true with your press release. By showing testimonials of satisfied customers who use your product or service, you will show the media that your company isn’t just some “fly-by-night” operation that is promoting an "iffy" proposition, but a legitimate business that is presenting a product or service that has genuine, proven benefits for your target market.
5. Follow the advice of “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Use a photograph in your press release to further convince the media that your story is worth their time and attention.